Winch



G. UHLIG WI NCH Nov. 17, 1959 Filed May 3, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mum/Ton GEORGE UHLIG ATTORNEY Nov. 17, 1959 i G. UHLIG wmcu 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed May 3, 1955 INVENTOR.

GEORGE' UHLIG United States Patent" 2,913,224 WINCH George Uhlig, Broomall, Pa.

Application May 3, 1955, Serial No. 505,822 4 Claims. (11. 254-167) My invention relates to winches or hoists, and relates particularly to portable winches or hoists.

In'prior Patent No. 2,633,328, issued March 31, 1953, a winch is described for unwinding rope, cable or chain from a drum under load with full control. Although the apparatus described and illustrated in the aforementioned patent accomplished that purpose with a minimum of parts, it was considered desirable to further extend the utility of this winch by adapting it for use with a wider variety of rigs to enable it to work in close quarters without jamming, to facilitate reversal in its loading direction, and to permit the winch to rest against a surface, in an application such as a car door puller, without damage to the surface or to itself.

It, therefore, is an object of my invention to construct a winch which can work in close quarters without exposing its rotating parts to damage and obstruction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a winch which will not scratch or scrape the surface against which the winch is placed during a loading or unloading operation.

Another object of my invention is to construct a winch which may be integrally adapted for use with single,

double, and triple rigs.

Another object of my invention is to construct a winch which may be adapted'for use at various lifting speeds.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simplified mechanism in a winch for rapidly shifting its rotational direction. 7

3 Another object of my invention is to construct a winch having an arrangement of parts enabling quick assembly and disassembly of the winch.

.Anotherobject of my invention is to provide a winch' of parts for loading operation taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the arrangement of parts for unloading operation and wherein the lever arm is at the bottom of its stroke.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing the arrangement of parts for unloading operation and wherein the lever pawl is disengaged from the ratchet wheel.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the frame.

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the winch showing the handle in reversed direction.

Another object of myinvention is to provide a winch which is safe, portable, and permits overnight rig on a job by removing its reversible handle.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, which is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly effective in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists of the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more'fully understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a winch embodying my invention.

'Fig. 2 isa side elevational view, partly in section, of the winch showing the reversing assembly in loading position and the lever arm'at the bottom of its stroke.

T Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View showing the arrangement Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, I show a portable winch comprising a frame, generally desig nated as A, a lever arm, generally designated as B, and a cable rigging, generally designated as C.

The frame A is a single casting, generally O-shaped in cross-section and having a pair of contoured sides 2, a flattened top 3, and a V-like bottom 5. The casting is of a light weight material such as aluminum or magnesium alloy to facilitate portability and is anodized to provide corrosion resistance. A vertically pivoted securing hook 6 is mounted upon the top 3 and eyelets 7 are formed in the V-like bottom 5 to permit insertion of a hook C1 for providing a double rigging as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Main bearings 8 are provided in each of the contoured sides 2 and are so located that the sides will extend at one edge beyond the rotatable assembly mounted within the main bearings 8.

Rotatably supported in the main bearings 3 of the frame A is a shaft 10 to which is affixed a drum 12 having a ratchet wheel 14 on one flange. It is to be noted that the contoured sides at portion 2A of the frame overlie the ratchet wheel 14 enabling the winch to be rested upon the edge 2A against a surface without the ratchet teeth contacting that surface. The frame A also rotatably supports in bearings 9 a shaft 16 upon which freely rotates a frame pawl 18. The frame pawl 18 comprises a pair of feet 20 and 22 extending upwardly and outwardly and in substantial alignment with the ratchet wheel 14. A spring 26 (Fig. 2) having the general shape of a question mark is supported by a pin 28 affixed to the frame A and a pin 30 mounted onframe pawl foot 20, the question mark spring normally biasing the pawl foot 20 incontact with the ratchet wheel 14. The pin 28 restricts the movement of the pawl foot 22, thereby preventing the spring 26 from biasing the pawl 18 away from the ratchet wheel] 14, while pin 28 permits the foot 20 to disengage from the ratchet wheel 14. The question mark spring bias direction is constant and toward the ratchet teeth (Figs. 1 and 2).

The'leverarm B comprises a U-shaped bracket 31 rotatably supported on the shaft 10 and it includes a removable handle 32. A lever pawl 40 is rotatably supported on a fixed shaft 41 in the lever bracket 31, shaft 41 being parallel to shaft 16. The lever pawl 40 is in the same plane as the ratchet wheel 14 and has a pair of ears 42 integrally formed thereon through which passes an L-shaped spring 44 rigidly supported at one end in the top of the under side of the' bracket 31. The free end of the L-shaped spring 44 extends through the ears 42 biased against surface 45 and then passes into a slot 46 located in a knurled thumb wheel 48. This is known as thereversing assembly and is assembled upon the bracket 31 by means of a C-washer 50 slipped into a slot 52 on the shaft 41. The knurledthumb wheel 48 is cut away as shown inFigs. 7 and 8 to provide a relief whereby the thumb wheel will not prematurely strike the frame in unloading position before the lever pawl 40 slides against the spring 26 and engages the ratchet teeth. A dog 54 is provided on the interior surface of the pawl 40 for engagement with the spring 26.

The handle 32 is constructed of tubular steel having a conventional rubber grip 70 on one end and a hair-pin pressed mounting end 72. A pair of stifiener rods 73 are inserted within the pressed end 72 to add greater strength to the handle. A plurality of holes 74 in the pressed end 72 are adapted to fit over the shafts and 41, both shafts extending through the bracket 31.

A stud 76 mounted upon the bracket 31 centrally located with respect to shafts 10 and 41 and the handle 32 is aflixed to the bracket 31 by a wing nut '78 in either direction 180 apart as shown in Fig. 10.

The reversibility of the handle 32 permits application of leverage to the cable drum 12 in two directions, there by providing an additional degree of freedom when space restriction or encumbrances impede operation of the winch. As a safety feature, the handle 32 may be completely removed from the lever bracket 30 and a rigging set-up will be secure and tamper-proof when it is so desired to have the set-up remain undisturbed for a period of time. As a further safety feature, the handle 32 will bend before any other part of the winch approaches its breaking point.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, my invention operates as follows: The cable rigging C comprises a flexible cable 80 which has its one end anchored to the drum 12 and is adapted to be wrapped around the drum as the lever arm is rotated counter-clockwise as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As the cable wraps around the drum 12, the free end of the cable passing through a frame guide loop 82 serves to exert a pull on the load. A double rigging may be employed by inserting the hook C1 through the eyelets 7 and mounting a pulley hook C2 over the cable as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to raiseor apply a load, the pawl 40 on the lever bracket is biased against the ratchet teeth by rotating the reversing thumb wheel 48 in a counter-clockwise direction as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Since the spring 44 is biased against the rounded surface 45 on pawl 40, rotating the thumb wheel 48 in either direction against either ear 42, afiirrnatively locks the spring in that direction, the spring being unable to carry over the hump of the rounded surface 45 without manually rotating the thumb wheel. As the lever arm is oscillated in a counterclockwise direction, the pawl 40 engages a ratchet tooth and the drum 12 will rotate also in a counter-clockwise direction. The frame pawl 18, which retains a constant bias against the ratchet wheel because of spring 26, prevents the drum from rotating clockwise when the pressure on the lever arm is released. The cycle can be repeated until the load onthe cable rigging has been pulled the required distance.

The cycle can be reversed under any load conditions within the capacity of the winch. To reverse the cycle, rotate the thumb wheel 48 clockwise, as shown in Fig. 8, thereby displacing spring 44 to such an extent that it now acts to lift pawl 40 clear of the ratchet wheel 14, but in a position to contact spring 26 as shown in Fig. 8.

Further counter-clockwise rotation of lever arm B in Fig. 8 brings the dog 54 on the pawl 40 into firm contact with spring 26 with further rotation of lever arm B forcing pawl 40 against ratchet wheel 14 and finally into contact with a ratchet tooth. Fig. 7 better shows the manner of contact between spring 26 and dog 54, together with the relative position of this spring between ratchet wheel 14 and frame A. As the pawl 40 moves toward a ratchet tooth, it also displaces spring 26 toward pawl 18. -By the time spring 26 displacement is adequate, it will force pawl 18 clear of ratchet wheel, and will do so when pressure between pawl 18 and the tooth of the ratchet with which it is engaged is relieved or released.

As stated, under load, pawl 18 cannot swing free since the angle of contact between either pawl and any tooth of ratchet wheel 14 produces a powerful component of force toward the axis ofdrum 12 which is in excess of the reverse force exerted by spring 26 when displaced as described in the previous paragraph. In addition to transferring the load from pawl 40 to pawl 18, it is also normally necessary to rotate drum 12 a few degrees clockwise, as seen in Fig. 7, before pawl 18 can swing clear of the ratchet wheel '14. This accomplished, the load has now been entirely transferred to pawl 18 and now this pawl is securely engaged to ratchet wheel 14, with a powerful force component toward the hub of drum 12.

Although-myinvention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A portable winch comprising a supporting frame, a cable drum, a ratchet wheel rotatable with said cable drum, an operating lever bracket pivoted on the axis of said drum, a removable tubular handle adapted to be afiixed in either direction apart upon said lever bracket, said frame being contoured at one edge to overlie the path of travel of the ratchet teeth whereby the winch may be rested against a surface upon said contoured edge without said ratchet wheel contacting said surface, a lever pawl pivotally mounted withinsaid lever bracket at a point outside the path of travel of the ratchet teeth, said lever pawl having a pair of ears extending thereon, an L-shaped spring aflixed to said lever bracket and passing through said pawl ears for biasing said pawl in a chosen direction, a finger operated reversing disc pivoted on the axis of said pawl adjacent thereto and engaging the free end of said spring for changing the direction of said bias, a frame pawl pivotally mounted on said frame, a single, integrally formed spring normally biasing said frame pawl toward said ratchet, said frame pawl spring being of question mark configuration, the looped portion thereof having a doubled uncinated end, said frame pawl spring, the teeth on said ratchet, and the free end of the lever pawl being arranged in alignment, the free end of said lever pawl positioned to be interposed between the frame pawl spring and the teeth of the ratchet and being of sufficient length to contact the frame pawl spring when the lever is rotated in the direction which moves its pawl toward engagement with the ratchetteeth, whereby the frame pawl spring will be acted upon by the lever pawl to bias the frame pawl away from the teeth of the ratchet, said lever pawl at the same time being moved by the frame pawl spring into its ratchet engaging position even against the opposing bias exerted by the lever pawl spring, a load hook, and a cable having one end secured to said drum and the other end being affixed to said load hook, said frame being a single casting O-shaped in cross-section and having integrally formed sides with slots therein for engaging said load hook when a reeving block is carried by said cable.

2. A portable winch comprising a supporting frame, a cable drum, a ratchet wheel rotatable with said cable drum, an operating lever bracket pivoted on the axis of said drum, a removable tubular handle adapted to be affixed in either direction 180 apart upon said lever bracket, a lever pawl pivotally mounted within said lever bracket at a point outside the path of travel of the ratchet teeth, said lever pawl having a pair of ears extending thereon, an L-shaped spring affixed to said lever bracket and passing through said pawl ears for biasing said pawl in a chosen direction, means for changing the direction of said bias, a frame pawl pivotally mounted on said frame, a single, integrally formed spring normally biasing said frame pawl toward said ratchet, said frame pawl spring being of question mark configuration, the looped portion thereof having a doubled uncinated end, said frame pawl spring, the teeth on said ratchet and the free end of the lever pawl being arranged in alignment, the free end of said lever pawl positioned to be interposed between the frame pawl spring and the teeth of the ratchet and being of sufficient length to contact the frame pawl spring when the lever is rotated in the direction which moves its pawl toward engagement with the ratchet teeth, whereby the frame pawl spring will be acted upon by' the lever pawl to bias the frame pawl away from the teeth of the ratchet, said lever pawl at the same time being moved by the frame pawl spring into its ratchet engaging position even against the opposing bias exerted by the lever pawl spring, a securing hook, and a cable having one end secured to said drum and the other end being secured to said securing hook, said frame being a single casting O-shaped in cross-section and having integrally formed sides with slots therein for engaging said securing hook when a reeving block is carried by said cable.

3. A portable winch comprising a supporting frame, a cable drum, a ratchet wheel rotatable with said cable drum, an operating lever bracket pivoted on the axis of said drum, said frame being contoured at one edge to overlie the path of travel of the ratchet teeth whereby the winch may be rested against a surface upon said contoured edge without said ratchet wheel contacting said surface, a lever pawl pivotally mountedwithin said lever bracket at a point outside the path of travel of the ratchet teeth, said lever pawl having a pair of ears extending thereon, an L-shaped spring afiixed to said lever bracket and passing through said pawl ears for biasing said pawl in a chosen direction, means for changing the direction of said bias, a frame pawl pivotally mounted on said frame, a single, integrally formed spring normally biasing said frame pawl toward said ratchet, said frame pawl spring being of question mark configuration, the looped portion thereof having a double uncinated end, said frame pawl spring, the teeth on said ratchet and the free end of the lever pawl being arranged in alignment, the free end of said lever pawl positioned to be interposed between the frame pawl spring and the teeth of the ratchet and being of sufiicient length to contact the frame pawl spring when the lever is rotated in the direction which moves its pawl toward engagement with the ratchet teeth, whereby the frame pawl spring will be acted upon by the lever pawl to bias the frame pawl away from the teeth of.

the ratchet, said lever pawl at the same time being moved by the frame pawl spring into its ratchet engaging position even against the opposing bias exerted by the lever pawl spring, a securing hook, and a cable having one end secured to said drum and the other end being secured to said securing hook, said frame being a single casting O-shaped in cross-section and having integrally formed sides with slots therein for engaging said securing book when a reeving block is carried by said cable.

4. A portable winch comprising a supporting frame, a cable drum, a ratchet wheel rotatable with said cable drum, an operating lever bracket pivoted on the axis of said drum, a lever pawl pivotally mounted within said lever bracket at a point outside the path of travel of the ratchet teeth, said lever pawl having a pair of ears extending thereon, an L-shaped spring affixed to said lever bracket and passing through said pawl ears for biasing said pawl in a chosen direction, a finger operated reversing disc pivoted on the axis of said pawl adjacent thereto and engaging the free end of said spring for changing the direction of said bias, a frame pawl pivotally mounted on said frame, a single, integrally formed spring normally biasing said frame pawl toward said ratchet, said frame pawl spring being of question mark configuration, the looped portion thereof having a double uncinated end, said frame pawl spring, the teeth on said ratchet and the free end of the lever pawl being arranged in alignment, the free end of said lever pawl positioned to be interposed between the frame pawl spring and the teeth of the ratchet and being of sufficient length to contact the frame pawl spring when the lever is rotated in the direction which moves its pawl toward engagement with the ratchet teeth, whereby the frame pawl spring will be acted upon by the lever pawl to bias the frame pawl away from the teeth of the ratchet, said lever pawl at the same time being moved by the frame pawl spring into its ratchet engaging position even against the opposing bias exerted by the lever pawl spring, a securing hook, and a cable having one end secured to said drumand the other end being secured to said securing hook, said frame being a single casting O-shaped in cross-section and having integrally formed sides with slots therein for engaging said securing hook when a reeving block is carried by said cable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Du Bois Dec. 17, 1957 

